Travel Blog

Tech Thursday: Road Trip Stopovers Made Easy

Blog Post

One of my biggest regrets is having never done an epic U.S. road trip when I was in college. Of course, there’s still plenty of time for me to pack up and hit the road, whether it’s a cross-country trek, a tour of the northeast…whatever I feel like, really. But, now that everyone I know is busy with full-time jobs, the trouble is finding a partner-in-crime who can also get away for an extended period of time.

While finding a friend to tag along on my hypothetical road trip may be tricky, I have found a companion that will most definitely be at my side when that day finally comes. Roadtrippers is a relatively new site that cuts down the research time for road trip stopovers because, one of the most important parts of a road trip. Why? Because let’s face it: a road trip is not just about getting from Point A to Point B…it’s about all the sites and sights in between.

It’s super easy; all you do is go to the site, plug in your starting point and your final destination, and your route is mapped out (thankfully via the oh-so-reliable Google Maps). Once that’s done, you can plot points of interest along your trail in myriad categories: attractions, accommodation, entertainment, food + drink, history, nature, shopping, and sports. And in each of those categories, you can drill down to even more specific topics.

Before you get worried that this could all end up being too overwhelming, what with all of these pins along your trail based on categories you might be interested, I should mention: you are able to create your own account, save each trip you map out, and customize which attractions you want to be a part of your official trip. Once you pin your stops, just wipe out the general category pins, and you’re good to go.

Two more cool features: based on your planned route (excursion notwithstanding), the site will also predict the total amount you will spend on gas during your trek. You can use this to help decide just how far out of your way you’re willing to go for each attraction by limiting pins from a 10–50 mile radius of your path. Of course, there are other ways to save some green on gas, so you don't have to sacrifice that photo-op with a life-size chocolate moose. (I may or may not have visited this one already.)

Now, more than ever, I am itching to get on the road…

Joshua Pramis is the social media editor at Travel + Leisure. He is now actively harassing friends in an attempt to find a road trip buddy. Follow him on Twitter: @joshuapramis